Ever since the UFC started bringing fight cards back to Brazil, North American fight fans have been complaining about UFC events in Brazil. That includes Saturday’s UFC event in Sao Paulo, headlined by a crucial middleweight match-up between Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping.

Like each new Rihanna album, the song always sounds the same whenever the UFC takes their show to the southern hemisphere, with complaints of varying intensity centering on everything from the lack of recognizable names on the line-up to how someone like C.B. Dollaway can be fighting on the main card, yet alone serving as one half of the co-main event of the evening.

If it doesn’t make sense for the North American fight fan, well then it just doesn’t make sense at all, period.

The problem is that this weekend’s 11-fight event in Sao Paulo isn’t a collection of weak contests. While there aren’t many big names that jump out at you upon first glance, looking just a little more closely shows this is a pretty solid group of fights – one that measures up pretty well against most of the previous efforts on FX over the last year.

You’re not going to find a more intriguing non-title main event than Saturday’s Bisping vs. Belfort encounter.

Like it or not, Bisping is one of the premier names in the UFC, and the drama surrounding his third attempt to win his way into a title shot is compelling. Adding to the excitement is that in order to secure the championship opportunity that has eluded him thus far in his career, he’ll have to get through Belfort, a veteran knockout artist who damn near shocked the world in his last appearance.

And he’ll have to do it in enemy territory too.

The “What is Dolloway doing in the co-main event?” question is a perfect representation of the narrow view a lot of North American fight fans have when it comes to the UFC these days.

Daniel Sarafian is the draw, not Dolloway.

The 30-year-old Brazilian was the breakout performer in the middleweight competition on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil, and is already a big star in his homeland. But he was unable to compete in the finale, and is just now getting the chance to make his debut.

Despite his notoriety in Brazil, Sarafian is still relatively inexperienced, as Saturday’s bout will be the 10th fight of his career. As such, matching him up with a bigger name from the middleweight division doesn’t make sense. Dolloway is a perfect fit; a guy who has enjoyed a solid, but unspectacular run to date who is capable of serving as a litmus test for the up-and-coming Brazilian. This pairing isn’t about Dolloway helping carry the card; it’s about showcasing Sarafian, and seeing if he has the potential to become more than just another strong drawn whenever the UFC goes to Brazil.

Of course, plenty of fight fans have lost interest in the North American version of The Ultimate Fighter, so thinking they’d pay attention to TUF: Brazil (or The Smashes) is foolhardy.

The Gabriel Gonzaga/Ben Rothwell fight is bound to be a slugfest, with both guys hungry to make up for lost time and take another step forward in the heavyweight ranks. Last time I checked, a good ol’ fashioned slobberknocker is always appealing, and that’s what we should get from this one.

Khabib Nurmegomedov may not be a household name – or an easy one to say – but he’s 18-0 with a pair of wins in the UFC. If you proclaim yourself to be a fight fan, how are you not dying to find out if the unbeaten lightweight who trains with the cast of all-stars at AKA in San Jose is legit or not?

His last fight ended in a controversial decision against veteran Gleison Tibau, a tough grappler who fills a low-end gatekeeper role in the lightweight division. Now he steps in with Thiago Tavares, another tough Brazilian veteran who I refer to as “Pocket Vitor” because of his physical and stylistic resemblance to “The Phenom.”

Ronny Markes and Andrew Craig are a combined 4-0 in the UFC, a pair of solid middleweight prospects facing off in a battle to see which one takes the next step forward in their career. I’m intrigued by both, and have wanted to see Craig back in action from the second he kicked Rafael Natal in the head while he was showboating.

Craig had lost just about every second of that fight, but never quit, and then dropped Natal with a shot to the dome. Big name or not – that the kind of guy I want to see again and again and again.

The featherweight contest between Nik Lentz and Diego Nunes is a battle of two fighters on the fringes of contention in what is quickly becoming one of the deepest, most exciting divisions in the sport. Lentz looked tremendous in his debut at ’45, and Nunes has the potential to be a title contender if he’d just learn to trust his skills and pull the trigger more often.

This time last year, Edson Barboza was one of the most talked about up-and-comers in the UFC, fresh off his Knockout of the Year finish of Terry Etim at UFC 142. He loses one fight – to Jamie Varner, who has proven he’s a top-20 lightweight again – and he’s forgotten. Really?

Personally, I think North American fight fans are spoiled.

From booing every fight the minute the carnage stops (or when Junior dos Santos is about to talk after taking a hellacious beating) to the non-stop whining about the depth and quality of every. single. card. there is no other way to call it.

Saturday’s fight card is a pretty good collection of fights – and great main event for a non-FOX televised fight card – and people are acting like it’s a sub-par offering the UFC should be ashamed of rolling out.

Rather than recognize this card is geared towards the Brazilian audience that will be paying for tickets to fill the Ibirapuera Arena in Sao Paulo on Saturday, a large contingent of fans can’t seemed to understand why the UFC would offer them a fight card involving so many fighters they don’t know.

“I don’t want to watch all these Brazilians! Give me fighters I know, you bastards!”

It’s ridiculous, and it’s unfortunately, the ridiculousness is not confined to this fight card either.

Nothing is ever good enough.

If there is a great main event, why isn’t the co-main event strong?

If the last two fights of the night are solid, why isn’t the rest of the main card loaded with stars too?

When a stacked card does come along, it doesn’t buy the UFC any room to have a less packed line-up next time out or anywhere down the line either. Instead, it becomes a case of “The last card was great; why isn’t this one?” as if there is an unlimited number of big name fighters and “Oh My God!” match-ups at the ready 24/7/365.

There needs to be a greater acceptance of the middle ground, both in terms of fighters and fight cards.

Saturday’s event is a middle ground card – it’s not loaded, but it’s not without some interesting pairings and a couple solid prospects either.

Some fans get it, but far more seem to be oblivious, at least in North America.

I look forward to the day when the inverse is true.

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